Archive for the ‘Advice’ Category

How did I come to this conclusion? Well theres no “perfect mattress”. That’s why there are so many out there to choose from. But as far as I’m concerned Latex is the best mattress you can sleep on.

I first came upon a latex mattress in the early 90’s. About the time Waterbeds were starting to fade. Our store was approached by Englander Mattress Co. with a Latex Mattress. We had never heard of such and “animal”. It sounded interesting being all natural and chemical free. So we ordered 2 models.

Instantly these took off. We had an instant best seller! I know, just because it sells doesnt mean its good. The jury was still out. Word started to spread . Our clients told there friends, family members and co-workers that they just got this awesome new mattress.

Since that day people have been coming through our doors wanting to see and disover this latex mattress they had heard about. Theres no perfect or best mattress out there but Latex comes really close. Based on our customer satisfaction latex is the way to go.

That is why I have nominated a latex mattress as the “World’s Best Mattress”.

What is organic wool?
In order for wool to be certified as “organic,” it must be produced in accordance with federal standards for organic livestock production. Federal requirements for organic livestock production include:

Livestock feed and forage used from the last third of gestation must be certified organic;

Use of synthetic hormones and genetic engineering is prohibited;

Use of synthetic pesticides (internal, external, and on pastures) is prohibited, and

Producers must encourage livestock health through good cultural and management practices.

Organic livestock management is different from non-organic management in at least two major ways: 1) sheep cannot be dipped in parasiticides (insecticides) to control external parasites such as ticks and lice, and 2) organic livestock producers are required to ensure that they do not exceed the natural carrying capacity of the land on which their animals graze.

Third-party certification organizations verify that organic producers use only methods and materials allowed in organic production. The Organic Trade Association has developed standards that apply to the processing of organic wool.How much organic wool is available in the United States and Canada today?
In 2005, M+R Strategic Services undertook a survey for the Organic Trade Association concerning organic wool production and markets in the United States and Canada. Responses to the survey indicated that 19,152 pounds (8,705 kilos) of organic wool were grown in the United States and Canada in 2005. Specifically, 18,852 pounds (8,551 kilos) of grease wool (shorn, without any cleaning, scouring or further processing) were produced in six U.S. states and 300 pounds (136 kilos) were produced in Ontario (see Tables 1 and 2).

New Mexico, with 15,300 pounds (6,940 kilos), was the leading producer of certified organic wool in North America, representing 81% of U.S. and 80% of North American organic wool production, followed by Montana (2,400 pounds), Maine (520 pounds), Ontario (300 pounds), Vermont (200 pounds), and New Jersey (132 pounds).

Table A: Amount of Organic Wool Produced in 2005 in the U.S.

State

Producers

Total Pounds of Wool

Colorado

1

300

Maine

5

520

Montana

1

2,400

New Jersey

1

132

New Mexico

2

15,300

Vermont

1

200

Total

11

18,852

Table B: Amount of Organic Wool Produced in 2005 in Canada

Province

Number of Producers

Total Pounds

Ontario

1

300

Total Canada

1

300

Which breeds of sheep are used in organic wool production?
The lead breeds identified in the survey by number were: Columbia, Navajo-Churro, Rambouillet, Rambouillet/Suffolk Cross.

How is organic wool used?Organic wool can be used in any application in which conventional wool is used. Some of the organic wool products most widely available today: baby clothes, blankets, coats, knitting yarn, socks, sweaters, and throws. As the market for organic wool products grows, so too are applications expanding for its use.

Why does organic wool cost more than conventional wool?
The cost of organic wool is more than that of conventional for several reasons:

1) Organic wool producers receive a higher price at the farm gate as their costs of production are higher, primarily associated with higher labor, management, and certification costs;
2) The organic wool industry is very small relative to the overall wool industry and does not have the economies of scale and resulting efficiencies of its conventional counterpart, and
3) Federal organic standards for livestock production prohibit overgrazing. If the price of wool is low, the difference cannot be made up by simply increasing production per unit of land, as is commonly practiced by many livestock producers.

I have lived with eczema my whole entire life. I hate it! When I was younger I found what worked best was to apply triamcinolone Cream to the affected areas. This would get rid of the eczema right away. But beware, use sparingly. If you use too often your body will build up a tolerance.

You cant actually get rid of eczema, but you can reduce the breakouts. For the last few years I have discovered that tanning once a week in the wintertime and applying Argan Oil to my body to prevent the eczema breakouts (or at least keep the eczema at bay).

Eczema is a form of dermatitis,or inflammation of the epidermis. The term eczema is broadly applied to a range of persistent skin conditions. These include dryness and recurring skin rashes which are characterized by one or more of these symptoms: redness, skin edema (swelling), itching and dryness, crusting, flaking, blistering, cracking, oozing, or bleeding. Areas of temporary skin discoloration may appear and are sometimes due to healed lesions, although scarring is rare. In contrast to psoriasis, eczema is often likely to be found on the flexor aspect of joints.

If anyone else has eczema and they have any tips the have worked for them to help get rid of eczema and dry skin. Please share with me and other users.